1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer fan test apparatuses, and particularly to an apparatus for measuring airflow generated by a computer fan.
2. Description of Related Art
Any electrical component that has current flowing through it produces heat, and computers are no exception. Heat in a computer system may be tolerable to some degree, but excess heat must be removed from the system to allow the electronic components to function properly. The response to the need to remove the heat from a computer system has in large part been the use of computer fans.
In the early days of computer technology, when central processing unit (CPU) speeds were low, a small fan in a computer running at a relatively low speed was sufficient to remove excess heat from the computer system. However, as computer system technology advances and microprocessor speeds increase, more heat is generated within a computer system that must be removed. Computer system designers have resorted to increasing the number, speed, and size of fans used in the computers.
However, even though it is known that larger fans or higher-speed fans may generate more airflow, computer system designers should measure the airflow the fans to ensure the increase in airflow is enough.
Therefore, a test apparatus for measuring airflow of a computer fan is needed.